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CG 02 Suicide Prevention and Threats of Harm

Version 2.2 by Spencer Dobson on 2024/01/22 21:55

Washington County Sheriff's Office

CORRECTIONS DIVISION

Policy Manual

Volume: CG

Inmate Management

Chapter: 02

Suicide Prevention and Threats of Harm

Replaces and/or Supersedes:

CG 02 03/31/2021

Published:

09/01/2011

Date Reviewed:

01/22/2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CG 02_101  Definitions

CG 02_102  References

CG 02_103  General

CG 02_104  Admission Screening

CG 02_105  Managing Known Risks

CG 02_106  Investigation

CG 02_107  Documentation

CG 02_108  After-Incident Review

CG 02_101  DEFINITIONS

  1. WCSO:  Washington County Sheriff's Office
  2. PCF:  Purgatory Correctional Facility

CG 02_102  REFERENCES

  1. Utah Counties Insurance Pool:
    1. ML-V.A.7.
  2. Utah Sheriff's Association Jail Standards:
    1. D08.01.01:  Written Suicide Prevention Policies and Procedures Required
    2. D08.01.02:  Proactive Policies and Procedures
    3. D08.02.01:  Suicide-Risk Screening
    4. D08.02.02:  Suicide-Risk Evaluation
    5. D08.03.01:  Classification of Suicidal Prisoners
    6. D08.03.02:  Assigning Risk Levels
    7. D08.03.03:  Housing of Suicidal Inmates
    8. D08.03.04:  Observation Cells
    9. D08.04.01:  Proactive Management of Suicide Risks
    10. D08.04.02:  Crisis Intervention
    11. D08.04.03:  Crisis Intervention: Mental Health Provider
    12. D08.04.04:  Crisis Intervention: Assessment of Risk
    13. D08.04.05:  Crisis Intervention: Documentation of Notification
    14. D08.04.06:  Removing Implements of Suicide
    15. D08.04.07:  Identifying Implements of Suicide
    16. D08.04.08:  Cell Furnishings as Implements of Suicide
    17. D08.04.09:  Supervision and Monitoring of Suicide Risks
    18. D08.04.10:  Surveillance Rounds for Suicidal Inmates
    19. D08.04.11:  Surveillance Rounds for Suicidal Inmates: Frequency
    20. D08.04.12:  Suicide Prevention Monitoring and Enhanced Welfare Monitoring
    21. D08.04.13:  Suicide Prevention Monitoring
    22. D08.04.14:  Enhanced Welfare Monitoring
    23. I01.03.05:  Removing Clothing and Bedding from Cells

CG 02_103  GENERAL

  1. Policy:
    1. All PCF staff shall receive annual training on suicide prevention for incarcerated inmates.
    2. All inmates admitted into PCF shall be evaluated for suicide risk factors.
  2. Rationale:
    1. For jail officials to be successful in preventing suicides, it is necessary to be proactive in evaluating inmates and detecting risk factors. In order to accomplish this, staff must receive sufficient training.

CG 02_104  ADMISSION SCREENING

  1. Policy:
    1. Inmates shall be screened for suicide risk factors during initial admission process. Screening shall include, but not be limited to:
      1. Previous suicide attempts;
      2. Current state of mind and suicide ideation;
      3. Scars or other physical manifestations of previous suicide attempts; and
      4. Suicidal threats or remarks.
    2. PCF staff should obtain known suicide risk factor information from the arresting officers.
    3. PCF staff shall, when possible, question each inmate regarding suicide risk factors prior to assigning a housing location.
  2. Rationale:
    1. Suicide risks should be addressed as soon as possible in order to implement prevention procedures as soon as possible.

CG 02_105  MANAGING KNOWN RISKS

  1. Policy:
    1. Suicide prevention procedures shall supersede all other classification and housing procedures.
    2. Upon notice of a suicide, suicide attempt, or self-harm incident, PCF staff shall respond immediately and appropriately with priority for safety and security. All known suicide risk information shall be reported:
      1. Immediately to the on-duty supervisor;
      2. Immediately to the Medical Branch Director or on-duty medical staff; and
      3. Through documentation in the jail computer system (LOG). Notification of suicide risks shall be documented in the jail computer system.
    3. Upon notice of self-harm risk (and after initial response to immediate medical, safety, and security needs), PCF staff should reassign and move the inmate to an observation cell. Inmates may be reassigned to an observation cell for non-current suicide risks or any other self-harming behavior risks. A lower degree of observation may be appropriate for lower risk level situations. Observation risk levels and step-down safety check requirements shall be evaluated and set by PCF Mental Health staff on a case-by-case basis.
    4. Safety checks shall be conducted on all inmates under safety precautions, as specified by PCF Mental Health staff. Frequent safety checks (elevated monitoring) or step-down safety checks (decreased monitoring) may be conducted, as directed by PCF Mental Health staff. The frequency of these safety checks should be determined by PCF Mental Health staff, but will be at least every fifteen minutes when full safety precautions are in place.
    5. Inmates shall be visual-body-cavity searched prior to being placed on safety precautions.
    6. Cells shall be searched prior to assigning an inmate for housing. All non-authorized items shall be removed from the cell.
    7. Inmates on safety precautions due to self-harm risk shall not initially be given any items (including clothing, personal property, or PCF property) except for a:
      1. Safety suit; and
      2. Mattress.
    8. Additional items (e.g., a blanket) must be approved by the PCF Mental Health staff (or designee) prior to being issued to the inmate.
    9. All inmates placed on safety precautions for suicide risk shall be evaluated by PCF Mental Health staff.
    10. Inmates shall not be removed from safety precautions without the approval of PCF Mental Health staff.
    11. Inmates on safety precautions should not be given utensils to eat, without specific authorization from PCF Mental Health staff. Inmates should be provided meals that do not require the use of a utensil.
  2. Rationale:
    1. While classification and housing procedures do address safety concerns, suicide prevention procedures address known and/or immediate safety risks.

CG 02_106  INVESTIGATION

  1. Policy:
    1. Deaths by suicide shall be investigated in accordance with policy: CY 06 Prisoner Death.
  2. Rationale:
    1. Following proper investigation procedures may aid in fact finding and may aid the WCSO in answering lawsuits.

CG 02_107  DOCUMENTATION

  1. Policy:
    1. All events involving a suicide, suicide attempt shall be documented as a jail incident.
  2. Rationale:
    1. Proper documentation memorializes events and actions taken and may assist the WCSO in answering lawsuits.

CG 02_108  AFTER-INCIDENT REVIEW

  1. Policy:
    1. An after-incident review shall be held after an inmate suicide.
    2. The after-incident review should be conducted by the Sheriff or designee.
  2. Rationale:
    1. After-incident reviews are a tool for discovering and correcting problems with policies, procedures, implementation of procedures, incident management, and individual performance.